Victim of first IS-claimed attack in Germany speaks 10 years on: 'Scars remain but do not define us'

A decade of silence broken

Ten years after an Islamist-motivated attack on a regional train near Würzburg, one of the surviving victims has released a personal statement through the Gesellschaft für Deutsch-Chinesische Freundschaft Würzburg (GDCF). The 36-year-old woman, who now lives in Hong Kong with her husband and has since become a mother, chose to remain anonymous. She addressed the enduring impact of the attack, which occurred on 18 July 2016, saying it left visible marks and lasting health consequences.

The attack has left visible scars, and its effects on our health are lasting. With time, however, we have come to understand that scars may remain, but they do not define who we are or how we wish to live.

The attack on Regionalzug 58130

The assault unfolded aboard Regionalzug 58130 traveling from Treuchtlingen to Würzburg, carrying approximately 25 to 30 passengers. A 17-year-old Afghan refugee, who had arrived in Germany as an unaccompanied minor, attacked four Asian tourists with an axe and a knife shortly before the train reached its destination. After the emergency brake was pulled, the attacker fled on foot, assaulted a female pedestrian, and was shot dead by police officers.

The victims were members of a single family: a married couple in their 60s, their daughter (the 36-year-old woman) and her then-fiancé, now husband. The family had been vacationing in Germany and were traveling on the regional train when they were targeted without warning. The Bavarian State Criminal Police Office recorded five people with severe injuries, including open traumatic brain injury, large hacking, stabbing and cutting wounds, and bone fractures. Two other passengers suffered minor injuries while fleeing.

Attacker's background

Investigators classified the crime as an Islamist attack, and the Islamic State terror militia claimed responsibility for it. The assault was the first known IS-terror attack on German soil. The perpetrator had stated Afghanistan as his country of origin. He first lived in a church-run home in Ochsenfurt, in the rural district of Würzburg, before moving in with a foster family in the countryside. With the prospect of an apprenticeship, he completed an internship at a bakery. Shortly before the crime, a close friend of his reportedly died in Afghanistan. Police findings indicated no prior relationship between the victims and the attacker.

Support network and gratitude

The GDCF, which normally focuses on supporting Chinese students and lecturers at the University of Würzburg, has maintained close ties with the affected family since the attack. The society's Hans-Peter Trolldenier transmitted the victim's statement to the German Press Agency (dpa). In her message, the woman expressed deep gratitude for the help her family received in Würzburg a decade ago.

In one of the darkest phases of our lives, we experienced an extraordinary measure of compassion that we will never forget.

A continuing bond

The anniversary, 18 July, remains a particularly present date for the survivors. The woman's statement acknowledged that some consequences are still part of their daily lives, but her words focused on agency rather than victimhood. The bond forged between the Hong Kong-based family and the Würzburg community endures, mediated for a decade now by a friendship society built around cultural exchange.